Jimmy the Grouch
by Thomperfan
Summary: Jimmy tries to have a conversation with the grouchiest muppet on Sesame Street


It was another beautiful day on Sesame Street and Jimmy Karren and his friend Gina Jefferson had just gotten back from riding their wheels around the block. As they were slowing down, they turned their heads and noticed someone.

"Oh, hi!" Gina said to someone they noticed. "Welcome to Sesame Street! Jimmy and I just got back from riding around the block."

"Yeah!" Said Jimmy. "I rode my scooter, and Gina rode her really awesome roller skates!"

Gina just smiled and giggled. The two had decided to go to Hooper's store to get a snack. But before they could leave, Oscar the grouch popped up from inside his trash can.

"Ugh, you two are back again." He said bluntly. "Woop-dee-doo."

Gina just rolled her eyes, and snarkily said "Hello to you too, Oscar."

Now even though Jimmy had gotten more familiar with Oscar, he still didn't know him that well. And Jimmy wanted to get to know Oscar better, because even though Oscar was mean, he still seemed like someone who was fun to be around. So he said, "Hi, Oscar! How are you today?"

"Rotten!" Said the grouch. "And it would be even better if you two got out of here and stopped bothering me, so do me a favor, and _scram!_ "

And with that Oscar dropped back into his can and the lid slammed shut. Jimmy was really shocked.

Gina sighed. "Come on, Jimmy," She said to the boy. "Let's go."

Gina went over to Hooper's Store, and Jimmy followed her. At Hooper's they each got a cookie and a juice box, courtesy of Alan.

"Gina," Jimmy asked while taking a bit of his cookie. "Why is Oscar so negative all the time?"

"He's a grouch, Jimmy." Gina told him. "It's what they do."

"Gina's right, Jimmy." Alan said. "Grouches are always rude, mean and negative. It's in their nature."

"Oh." Said Jimmy, before asking. "Well, has Oscar ever been nice to people before?"

"Oh, yes! Yes he has!" Said Gina. "Multiple times actually."

"Yeah, and sometimes, he's nice to people without even knowing what he's doing." Added Alan.

Jimmy was surprised by this and started to think, if Oscar was nice to people without really knowing, then they could actually talk to Oscar and have a conversation with him. Just then, he got an idea.

"Gina, Alan," Jimmy said as he got up. "I'm gonna have a conversation with Oscar the Grouch!"

Alan and Gina looked at each other.

"Honey," Gina started to say. "Talking to a grouch really isn't that easy."

"Neither is getting potty trained," Jimmy stated. "But I managed to do that."

After hearing, that Gina couldn't help but giggle.

"Jimmy," Alan continued. "What Gina means to say is that, grouches don't like to talk to other people. It's gonna be a real challenge."

"Oh." Said Jimmy. "Well then… Challenge accepted!" And he ran back to Oscar's trash can. Gina and Alan looked at each other.

"Well," Said Gina. "You gotta admire his confidence."

With that the two grown-ups burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Jimmy made his way to Oscar's can. He decided to try the direct approach, and see how that worked out. knocked on it while calling out to Oscar.

"Ugh, what?! What is it?!" Oscar shouted as he came up.

"Why don't we have a conversation together?" Said Jimmy. "Just you and me."

"Hmm, why not?" Said Oscar. "Well… because I don't wanna!" And with that, the grouch went back into his can. After that Jimmy just stood there for a while.

"Huh." Said Jimmy, to himself. "Well, like Gina said, this wouldn't be easy. Maybe I should go back home for a while, and think of a new approach.

And that's just what he did. At home Jimmy started think of a way, he could get Oscar to talk to him.

"Okay," He said. "The direct approach didn't work, so I need to think of something else."

Just then, Jimmy heard a knock on the door. He went to open it, and saw that it was Cookie Monster.

"Hiya, Jimmy!" Greeted Cookie Monster.

"Hey, Cookie Monster." Said Jimmy, as he let Cookie in. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, me ran out of cookies at home," Cookie Monster explained. "So me came here to ask if you had any cookies?"

"Oh, sure thing, buddy." Jimmy said. "Here, I'll help you get some."

So Jimmy gave Cookie Monster some cookies from the pantry. Cookie Monster seeing as how he had nothing better to do, decided to eat his cookies in Jimmy's house. Jimmy didn't mind a bit.

"Hey Cookie," Jimmy asked the blue googly-eyed monster. "I have a question. I'm trying to talk to Oscar the Grouch, and I need to to know what I can do to get him to talk to me."

"Well, maybe you should try giving Oscar something he really like." Cookie Monster responded. "That would make me wanna talk to someone."

"You know what Cookie?" Said Jimmy. "That might actually work! Hm… but what would Oscar like."

But before Jimmy could start thinking, his mom called out. "Hey, Jimmy! I need you to take out the trash!"

Jimmy gasped. "That's it! Grouches love trash!" He said to himself before calling mout to his mom. "OK, mom, I'm on it!"

So Jimmy got the trash and took it outside to Oscar's trash can. He knocked on said trash can and Oscar popped up.

"What is it, this time?!" Oscar said again.

"Hi, Oscar!" Jimmy said again. "My mom asked me to take out the trash, and I remembered how much you love trash, so I decided to give it to you."

"Oh." Said Oscar, as he took the trash bag and threw it in his can. "That was unexpected."

"Sooooooo…" Said Jimmy. "Now do you want to have a conversation with me?"

"No!" Oscar said, bluntly.

"Aw, why not?" Asked Jimmy.

"Because," Responded Oscar. "we grouches don't like talking to others, especially non-grouches, so do me a favor, and beat it!

And Oscar slammed his lid. Jimmy just stood there. Oscar certainly was stubborn, much like he was when he was younger. Jimmy knew he was gonna have to try something else, so he decided to go back to Hooper's Store and think.

When he got there, he found out Gina and Alan were still there. He pulled up a chair next to Gina, sat down next to her, and started to think.

"Hey, Jimmy." Gina greeted. "How's it going? Did you have a conversation with our grouch yet?"

"Not great." Responded Jimmy. "But don't worry, I'm not giving up yet. I just need to think of another idea."

"Oh, well don't worry." Said Gina. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

"Um, I don't know if this will help," Said Alan. "but Oscar likes to argue with people, especially with other grouches."

"Other grouches…" Repeated Jimmy to himself. And then he gasped. Jimmy had a realization: if he wanted to talk to a grouch, he'd have to go grouch himself. "Of course!" Said Jimmy. "It's so simple! So obvious! Why didn't I think of that before?"

"Um, Jimmy, sweetie," Said Gina. "Are you okay?"

"I'm better than okay, Gina!" Jimmy exclaimed. "I've got the answer! I'll be right back!" And with that Jimmy ran back to his apartment.

Gina looked at Alan and asked him. "Do you know what he's gonna do?"

Alan just shrugged.

30 minutes later, Jimmy came back dressed all in green and carrying his own trash can. He cleared his throat, so his grown up friends could see him, when they did, they were very surprised.

"Jimmy," Asked Gina as she pointed to Jimmy's clothes and trash can. "What is all of this?"

"Well," Explained Jimmy. "Alan's comment made me realize I've been going about this all wrong. If I wanna talk to a grouch, I've gotta _be_ a grouch."

"Well." Said Gina. "This stuff certainly does look grouchy."

"Thanks." Said Jimmy. "I found these clothes in my dad's closet, and this trash can behind our building. Oh, by the way, how grouchy does this sound? Grrrrr, I'm a grouch! I hate everything, except trash and being mean to people! Scram and beat it!"

Gina could only chuckle. "Very grouchy." Gina told him. "I don't think Oscar will be able to resist."

"Yes! Now all I have to do is go and show Oscar!" So Jimmy jumped inside of his can, closed the lid and tried to move forward, but he didn't get that far . It took him two minutes to get 1 centimeter. Jimmy then opened his lid. "Okay, this is getting me nowhere." He then turned to Gina. "Uh, Gina, could you please help me?"

"Oh, uh, sure Jimmy." Gina said, knowing exactly what Jimmy wanted her to do. She went over to Jimmy's can (which he was still inside of.), lifted it up, and started to take it over to Oscar's can. Once they got there, Gina places Jimmy's can on the ground and knocked on Oscar's can.

"Grrr, What do you people want from me?!" Shouted Oscar, as he came up.

"Oscar," Said Gina. "There's another grouch here, who wants to talk, er, I mean argue with you."

"Oh, really?" Said Oscar. "Well, it's about time. Where is he?"

"He is right here!" Gina stated, as she moved out of the way, to reveal the trash can.

"Where is Oscar the Grouch?!" Jimmy said, as crankily as he could. "I really wanna have an argument with him!"

"I'm Oscar the Grouch!" Oscar proclaimed.

Jimmy got out of his can and walked over to the green grouch. "Are you the grouchiest grouch on Sesame Street?" he asked.

"Yes!" Said Oscar. "I am the grouchiest grouch on Sesame Street!"

"Well then," Said Jimmy. "I like to have an argument with you!"

"OK! Let's argue!" Said Oscar. "But not out here, there are too many _people_." He said before looking at Gina, who just rolled her eyes. "Why don't you come on in my trash can?"

"Are you sure?" Asked Jimmy. "Will we both fit?"

"Oh, we will." Oscar explained. "I don't know if you know, but my trash can, is way bigger than it looks. Now, come on! Let's go in and argue!"

And with that Oscar dropped down into his can.

"Well, bye Gina!" Said Jimmy as got up and ready to jump inside Oscar's can. "I'm gonna go see what it's like in a real grouch's trash can!"

"OK, bye Jimmy." Gina said, as she waved to her best friend. "Have fun!"

"I will!" Said Jimmy before he jumped down in Oscar's trash can and landed feet first. Gina chuckled and looked to her left. "Jimmy is sure going to have an interesting time in there." She said to no one in particular, before heading back to Hooper's.

Two hours later, Gina and Alan were still in Hooper's store, doing their own things, when Jimmy came in, dragging his trash can.

"Oh, hey there, Jimmy the Grouch." Gina said jokingly. "How was it liked talking to Oscar?"

"It was awesome!" Jimmy said excitedly. "Oscar trash can is so cool, he has all types of interesting stuff, cool trash and he even has an elephant!"

Gina giggled. "Yeah, we know Fluffy the elephant."

"Did Oscar ever find out you weren't really a grouch?" Asked Alan.

"Yeah, he did." Said Jimmy. "He was mad, but only because grouches are always mad. He actually congratulated me for pretending to be a grouch so well, and he even said since I was so good at arguing, he want me to come back, so we could argue some more, and he could show me more of his trash stuff."

"Oh, good for you, Jimmy!" Gina said as she patted him on the head. "So, what are you gonna do now?"

"Well," Said Jimmy. "After the day I just had, I'm really tired. So I'm just gonna take a nap." And with that, Jimmy went back to his trash can, crawled in, closed the lid, and fell fast asleep.

After Gina and Marco saw this, they looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"He's certainly embracing the grouch culture." Alan said, still chuckling.

Gina sighed and got up. "I'd better take him back home." She said as she picked up the trash can and took it all the way back to Jimmy's apartment. Once there, she knocked on the door, and Jimmy's mom answered it.

"Oh, hi Gina!" Said Jimmy's mom. "What are you doing here with that trash can?"

"It's for you." Gina explained. "Your son was unleashing his inner grouch. Look inside."

Jimmy's mom took the lid off the trash can to see her son was fast asleep. "Ah, so he was." She said. "Well, he's definitely going to have to take a bath, but I think I can let him finish his nap, first."

"That's good," Said Gina. "Otherwise, he'd be even grouchier."

The two girls laughed, and Jimmy's mom took the trash can, said goodbye to Gina and took Jimmy inside. She put Jimmy in his bed, leaving Jimmy to dream about his grouchy new friend.

THE END


End file.
